lawrence



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(NoModel L. vP. LAWRENCE.

POWER BRAKE.

No. 418,573. Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' L P. LAWRENCE.

. POWER BRAKE. No. 418,573. Patented Dec. 31, 1889 IIII I WITNESSES:

N PETERS. Fhum-Uthognpher. Wnlhinglcn, 0.6.

- UNITED STATES "PATENT PQFFIGE.

LOUIS P. LAWRENCE, OF PASSAIO, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAW- RENGERAILWAY BRAKE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWER-BRAKE.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,573, datedDecember 31,1889:

Application filed March 6, 1889.

T0 aZZ whom it uay concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. LAWRENCE, of

Passaic, in the county of ,Passaic, in the State of New Jersey, acitizen of the United States, have invented certainnew and usefulImprovements in Power-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.This invention relates to improvements in that class of brakes forlocomotives and cars that are operated by means of a vacuum,-compressedair, steam, or any actuating-fluid.

The object of my invention is to provide a brake of this kind which issimple in'con- 'structiom'the parts of which can be readily applied orremoved, and which does notsubjeot the locomotive or car-frame or thewheels to any undue or injurious strains.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts anddetails, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter, andfinally pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear View of my improvedpower-brake. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line0000, Fig. 1. tional view on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear viewofthe brake-shoe :proper. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of thebrake-shoe on the'line-b b, Fig. 4. r e v Similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts. i 4 I The brake-cylinder Ahasgreaterheight than width and has its ends rounded, this shape being given tothe same so that the width of the cylinder will not be much greater thanthe width of the wheel-tire, and the greater height is given for thepurpose of having a sufficient "area. Said cylinder projects laterallyfrom a plate B,-which is bolted or otherwise fastened to the frame 0 ofthe locomotive or to a suitable frame or piece on the car or truck. rThe cylinder A is provided along its outer edge with awing D,which isparallel with the plate B. i The plate B and wing D are united at thetop and bottom by the curved pieces B with which the said plate B andwing D form a compartment B on that end or head of the cylinder facingthe rim of the wheel. Between said plate B and wing Dthat is, in thecompartmentB -thebrake-shoe Eis mounted Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sec-Serial No. 302,170. (No model.)

will be set forth a neck G, projecting from both surfaces ofthe piston Gwithin the cylinder, the front end of said neck G being guided in anaperl=l1T6G in the front head of the cylinder A. A packing-diaphragm H,preferably made of rubber and duck, but which, if desired, may be madeof any other suitable materiaL-is provided with a central aperture,through which the neck G of the piston G can pass, and along its edgesis provided with a bead H. The edge of the diaphragm H is placed andfirmly clamped between the rear edge of the cylinder and the edge of thehead F, the diaphragm resting on the rear face of the piston andcovering said entire rear surface.-

The head F has a rib F on its inner surface along the edge, and the edgeof said rib bears on the diaphragm H and presses it against the side ofthe cylinder, as shown.

' The edges of the piston are rounded or curved, as shown at G6, so thatwhen the piston is back as far as possible the diaphragm H can rest onthe same without fold or wrinkle. The diaphragm is so molded or shapedas to have a flat central portion H and having its edge portion curvedfirst in one direction and then in the reverse direction, so as to forma recess 1-1 extending along the rim part of the diaphragm between theedge and the above-mentioned flat portion, one side of the recessresting on the rounded or curved part G of the piston. When the pistonmoves toward the front end of the cylinder, the edge part of thediaphragm leaves the curved part of the piston; but when the pistonmoves back again the diaphragm will at once resume its snug position.All breaking, cracking, or folding of the diaphragm is thus effectuallyprevented.

The piston G is provided on its inner face 1 rubber packing-ring J,which is meniscusshaped in cross-section, is passed around the said baris free to move forward and back,

' notches V.

neck G of the piston G, and its edges. rest against the annular ridges ZZ, as shown, the central portion of the inner surface of said rubberring J resting against the outer surface of the neck G. The shoulderedpackin g-ring K is placed in an annular groove in the neck F of the headF, and rests snugly against the neck G of the piston and forms a closeand tight joint. The neck G is provided with an internal screw-thread,and into said neck the screw-blockLis screwed, which is provided on itsouter end with two jaws L between which a lever L is pivoted, thepivoted end of said lever L being provided with a cam-head L and theopposite end X being provided with the weight L for the purpose ofkeeping said lever L in vertical position. The cam end of the lever L isprovided with a stop-lug M that can abut againsta ridge M uniting thejaws L. Between the jaws L a rubber cushion M is fastened by a rivet orotherwise on the outer end of the block L, and bears against the cam endof the lever L to prevent undue swinging of the same. The block L isprovided in its inner end with a tapering aperture N, the inner end ofwhich is rounded to receive the rounded end of a push-bar O, theopposite end of which bear against the brake-shoe E, as shown in Figs. 2and 3. The push-bar O and the recess N in the block L form aball-and-socket joint. The bar 0 can swing laterally as the shoe swingslaterally with the wheel, and

and is not positively connected either with the piston or block L or thebrake-shoe.

On the front head of the cylinder two lugs Q are formed at the-top andbottom, and through a pair of the same abolt Q is passed,

which is also passed through an eye formed on one end of a link R, fromwhich the shoe E is suspended by means of a pin S, which also passesthrough two wings or lugs T on the back of the shoe. As shownin Fig. 2,said wings T have apertures at the top and bottom to permit of reversingthe shoe. The bolt S is provided with a pin W, which can swing into agroove V, formed on the back of the brake-shoe, said groove beingprovided with notches V V, through which said pin XV can pass. When thebrake-shoe is to be attached, it is held from the front of the cylinderas far as possible and the bolt S passed through the apertures in thewings T and through the aperture in the lower end of the link R, the armor pin V on said bolt being at right angles to the front of thecylinder, so that it can pass through the corresponding \Vhen the shoeis then released,

it swings down against the front of the cylinder and thereby presses thearm or pin W into the pocket or groove V, thus preventing withdrawingthe bolt S. It is thus impossible for the bolt S to become detachedaccidentally, as the same can only be removed after swinging outward thebrake-shoe, turning the bolt until the pin or arm W is at right anglesor approximately at right angles to the front of the cylinder, and thenwithdrawing said bolt.

The cylinder is provided at the top and bottom with a neck a, forattaching the pipe, by means of which the air is exhausted, and the headF is provided with necks d, to permit the air to enter when the air onthe opposite side of the piston is exhausted. In case the brake is to beoperated by steam or compressed air or carbonic-acid gas or any otherlike fluid the pipes are connected with the necks d.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen the air is exhausted from the spaceformed between the front of the cylinder and the piston G, theatmospheric pressure presses the piston G in the direction of the arrow:0 and the pushbar 0 presses the shoe E against the wheel. At the sametime the rubber ring J is compressed and the center part of its innersurface pressed firmly against the outer surface of the neck G, thusforming an absolutely tight joint. \Vhen the vacuum is destroyed, theexpansion of the ringJ and the weight of the brake-shoe move the pistonin the inverse direction of the arrow x. As the brake-shoe wears off,the push-bar 0 must be moved outward corresponding to the wearing of theshoe. To move the push-bar forward, the screw-block L is turned by meansof the lever L so as to move in the direction of the arrow w. In somecases there is not sufiicient space to turn the block L when the lever Lhangs down from the same. In such cases the lever L is swung outward tobe nearly in.line with the axis of the block L, it being locked in placeby the action of the cushion-spring M on the eccentric or cam part L.The stop M prevents swinging the handle -lever L beyond the center.After I the block L has been adjusted the handle-lever is swung down andits weighted end L keeps it in a vertical position and preventsaccidental unscrewing of the block L. The cylinder can easily bereversed-that is, it can be applied on either side of the locomotive oreither side of the wheel, as it is provided at the top and bottom withlugs Q, for hanging the brake-shoe, and provided at the top and bottomwith necks for attaching air inlet or outlet pipes.

My improved brake is very simple in construction, as it is composed offew parts, and these in turn are subjected to strains only which are theleast injurious. The diaphragm H, which makes the piston absolutelyair-tight, is not subjected to any injurious strains, as it at all timesrests snugly on the piston G.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinderhaving a fixed and a removable I head, of a piston in said cylinder,aneck projecting from saidpiston and guided in both heads of thecylinder, and a push-bar resting loosely on said piston and against thebrakeshoe, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a cylinder, of a piston having a neck guided inboth heads of the cylinder, a block screwed into said neck, and apush-bar held loosely insaid neck and resting against the back of thebrake-shoe, substantially as set forth.

8. In a power-brake, the combination, witha cylinder, of a piston.provided with a neck guided in both heads of the cylinder,-a screwbloekin said neck, a push-bar resting loosely in said screw-block, and ahandle-lever pivoted to the outer end of said screw-block and having oneend weighted, substantially as set forth. 0

4a. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder, of a pistonprovided with a neck guided in both heads of the cylinder,.a screwblockin said neck, a weighted handle-lever pivoted to the outer end of saidscrew-block, and a spring acting on the pivoted end of said lever,substantially as set forth.

5. In a power-brake, the combinatiomwith a cylinder having a neck on onehead, of a packing-ring in said neck, a piston in said cylinder providedwith a neck guided in both cylinder-heads, a screw-block in saidpistonneck, and a push -bar held loosely in said screw-block,substantially as set forth.

6. In a power-brake, the combination, with the cylinder, of apistonhaving a neck guided in said cylinder, and a rubber ring surroundingsaid neck and bearing against the piston and the inner surface of onecylinder-head, substantially as set forth. I

7. In a power-brake, the combinatiomwith a cylinder and a piston havinga neck, of a rubber ring, which is meniscus-shaped in cross-section andsurrounds the neck on the piston between said piston and one head of thecylinder, substantially as set forth.

I 8. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder having aguidebpening in one head, an annular projection surrounding saidopening. on the inner surface of said head,

a piston having a neck guided in said open ing in the cylinder-head,an'annular projection on said piston and around saidneck, and a rubberring surrounding the piston-neck, the edges of said ring bearing againstthe above-mentioned annular projections, substantially as set forth.

9. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder, of a headprovided on its inner surface with a ridge along the edge, and adiaphragm having its edge clamped between the cylinder and its head, theedge of said ridge pressing the diaphragm, near the edge of the same,against the inner side of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a cylinder having an opening in its front, ofa piston provided with a neck passing through said opening, one end ofsaid neck being provided with a transverse slot, a push-bar passedthrough said slot, and a screw-block in the piston-neck, whichscrew-block has a recess for receiving the inner end of the push-bar,substantially as set forth.

11. In a power-brake, a cylinder made integral' with a plate at one sideand having a wing at the other side, and piecesuniting said Wing at thetop and bottom and made integral with said plate and wing, substantiallyas set forth.

12. In a brake, the combination, with a cylinder, of a piston having aflat portion, a diaphragm in the cylinder, said diaphragm being shapedto have a fiat portion resting on the piston and also having a recessalong its rim between the said flat portion of the diaphragm and theedge of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS -P. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

OSCAR A. GUNZ, FREDK. B. VAN VoRsT.

